Rules of a Rebel

Chapter 4: Impatience is Key

Rule #8: Impatience is Key

Rebels wait for nobody.

-()-

The door across the gym slams open. My head jerks up of its own accord, just in time to see a bunch of shirtless boys parade across to the locker room. Most of them carry towels around their necks and smell like chlorine. Must be the swim team.

Unpleasant memories threaten to break through. I push them away and lean back against the wall.

Right now, I'm waiting for Melody to come out of women's locker room, after her cheerleading auditions, since she made me promise that I wouldn't go inside and talk to her. Now, it's been fifteen minutes and she still hasn't come out.

My phone pings.

I check it. It's a text from Irene, my best friend from Chicago. My mood lightens even though she's only written three words: skype at 5?

In the distance, the men's locker door swings open.

Can we do 7? I have work at 5, I type back. The pair of boys who exited the locker room walk closer to me. To my dissatisfaction, one of them pauses besides where I'm standing. I pray to everything holy than he's won't to talk to me.

"Hey there, cutie, where'd you come from? I don't recall see somebody as good-looking as you in this gym," He says.

I ignore him. Irene texts back, K.

"Hey, did you hear me? I'm talking to you, cutie in the tight shirts," He steps closer. I type go away multiple times on my phone and continue to ignore him.

"Dude, what are you doing? Let's just go-"

"Just go ahead, Lex, I'll be with you in a minute."

Whoever Lex is, I hope he doesn't listen. But the only thing he does is heave a sigh and leave. My heart sinks when I hear the gym door open and close again. If Melody doesn't come out in two minutes, I tell myself. I'm leaving.

"What do you want?" I snap when his friend is no longer in sight.

Now that I acknowledge, I get a glimpse of what he looks. Since he's not wearing a shirt, I can tell that he's somewhat muscular, with curly brown hair and tanned skin, but I can get a sense of how pale he really is. "I was just trying to compliment you, that's all."

"I'm blushing," I deadpan. "But, if you really want to please me, follow your friend out the door."

He smiles condescendingly. Just when I think he's about to say something else, one of the locker room doors opens again. This time a group of boys walks outside, including Archer and Sebastian. Even though, I can't stand the two, the sight of them makes my shoulders slump in relief.

Archer does a double-take when he sees me. "Peyton?"

"Archer," I say coolly, fighting the urge to blush.

Today, for advertisement, all the clubs are making booths in the school's auditorium. Per mom's wishes, I need to have to join one of them. But I can't create a good reputation with the usual clothes I wear so I traded in my black pants and leather jacket for jeans and a white blouse.

"Do you know Derek?" Archer asks, his lip curling down.

I shake my head.

"So, he's bothering you?" He says coldly, but he's not looking at me anymore. Instead, he glares at Derek, who sneers at him.

"I'm not bothering anybody, Raine. Why don't you mind your own business?"

"Only when you mind yours."